Enermax Liberty ECO 500w ATX PSU
Simulated Load Testing
To provide our readers with the most accurate results, Overclock3D uses a professional grade SunMoon SM-268+ ATE load tester capable of placing a sustained load of 1690w across a total of six rails (including +5vsb and -12v) on the PSU. Unlike our previous resistor-based load tester, the SM-268+ gives us the ability to adjust amperage loads in increments as small as 0.01A while also measuring voltages and wattage readings on-screen.
During today’s tests, we will be placing the Liberty ECO 500w under 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% load levels at both room temperature and inside a hot box regulated to a temperature of around 50°C. Additional cross load tests will also be performed under these conditions to simulate how the PSU would perform with a heavily uneven distribution of load.
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Enermax Liberty ECO 500w SM-268+ Results @ Room Temp
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| +3.3v | +5.0v | +12v1 | +12v2 | +5vSB | -12v | AC Watts / DC Watts |
Efficiency | Intake / Exhaust |
Δ Temp | |
| Test 1 (Low) |
3.75A | 2.50A | 4.16A | 4.16A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 155w / 132w |
85.16% | 23.3°C / 26.6°C |
3.3°C |
| 3.38v | 5.02v | 12.24v | 12.22v | 5.07v | -11.83v | |||||
| Test 2 (Med) |
7.50A | 5.00A | 8.33A | 8.33A | 1.50A | 0.30A | 308w / 263w |
85.38% | 24.3°C / 32.5°C |
8.2°C |
| 3.36v | 4.98v | 12.20v | 12.15v | 5.03v | -11.81v | |||||
| Test 3 (High) |
11.25A | 7.50A | 12.49A | 12.49A | 2.25A | 0.45A | 466w / 392w |
84.12% | 24.6°C / 36.7°C |
12.1°C |
| 3.34v | 4.94v | 12.16v | 12.13v | 4.98v | -11.79v | |||||
| Test 4 (Full) |
15.00A | 10.00A | 16.66A | 16.66A | 3.00A | 0.60A | 630w / 518w |
82.22% | 25.0°C / 39.5°C |
14.5°C |
| 3.32v | 4.90v | 12.12v | 12.09v | 4.92v | -11.81v | |||||
| Test 5 (x-load) |
19.70A | 13.00A | 0.50A | 0.50A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 190w / 145w |
76.31% | 25.0°C / 34.5°C |
9.5°C |
| 3.31v | 4.78v | 12.81v | 12.81v | 5.04v | -11.94v | |||||
| Test 6 (x-load) |
3.00A | 5.00A | 19.00A | 19.00A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 583w / 489w |
83.87% | 25.7°C / 39.4°C |
13.7°C |
| 3.37v | 5.01v | 11.90v | 11.92v | 5.03v | -12.10v | |||||
Looking first at the voltage output in standard Tests 1-4 all of the rails manage to stay extremely solid with no more than 0.13v fluctuation being exhibited on any of the rails. This is especially impressive considering in Test 4 the unit was running slightly out of spec at 518w. Efficiency was also above average with ~84-85% being seen in the Low,Medium and High tests and the unit only dropping to 82.22% efficiency when fully loaded.
Moving on to the first set of cross load results in Test 5, things do seem to take a slightly southwards turn with the +5.0v rail dropping to 4.78v and the +12v rails hitting a rather nasty 12.81v. Additionally the efficiency also plummets to a pretty dire 76.31% showing that the Liberty ECO really isn’t geared up to deal with such heavily unbalanced loads.
However, Test 6 gives the Liberty a chance to redeem its self with all voltages going back to fairly normal levels and efficiency levelling back out at 83.87%. This is especially good as most modern cross loading situations are likely to be heavily weighted on the +12v rails (due to high powered GPU’s) much like the Test 6 configuration.
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Enermax Liberty ECO 500w SM-268+ Results @ 50°C
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| +3.3v | +5.0v | +12v1 | +12v2 | +5vSB | -12v | AC Watts / DC Watts |
Efficiency | Intake / Exhaust |
Δ Temp | |
| Test 1 (Low) |
3.75A | 2.50A | 4.16A | 4.16A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 155w / 132w |
85.16% | 49.5°C / 54.3°C |
4.8°C |
| 3.37v | 5.03v | 12.22v | 12.20v | 5.07v | -11.83v | |||||
| Test 2 (Med) |
7.50A | 5.00A | 8.33A | 8.33A | 1.50A | 0.30A | 308w / 263w |
85.38% | 50.5°C / 58.5°C |
8.0°C |
| 3.35v | 4.99v | 12.18v | 12.14v | 5.02v | -11.83v | |||||
| Test 3 (High) |
11.25A | 7.50A | 12.49A | 12.49A | 2.25A | 0.45A | 467w / 391w |
83.72% | 50.4°C / 61.8°C |
11.4°C |
| 3.33v | 4.94v | 12.14v | 12.10v | 4.97v | -11.82v | |||||
| Test 4 (Full) |
15.00A | 10.00A | 16.66A | 16.66A | 3.00A | 0.60A | 634w / 517w |
81.54% | 50.9°C / 66.4°C |
15.5°C |
| 3.31v | 4.90v | 12.08v | 12.01v | 4.91v | -11.82v | |||||
| Test 5 (x-load) |
19.70A | 13.00A | 0.50A | 0.50A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 191w / 145w |
75.91% | 50.7°C / 62.8°C |
12.1°C |
| 3.30v | 4.78v | 12.81v | 12.81v | 5.04v | -11.99v | |||||
| Test 6 (x-load) |
3.00A | 5.00A | 19.00A | 19.00A | 0.75A | 0.15A | 584w / 483w |
82.70% | 51.0°C / 67.7°C |
16.7°C |
| 3.37v | 5.02v | 11.82v | 11.78v | 5.02v | -12.14v | |||||
Performing exactly the same battery of tests again; only this time at 50°C took its toll slightly on the Liberty ECO with the most noticeable differences being in tests 4 and 6 with voltage drops of between 0.08 – 0.14v on some of the rails. Interestingly, efficiency levels hardly changed despite the increased heat, and temperature differences from Intake to Exhaust also remained quite similar.
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Enermax Liberty ECO 500w Scope Results @ 50c
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| +3.3v | +5.0v | +12v1 | +12v2 | |
| Test 1 (Low) |
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| Test 2 (Med) |
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| Test 3 (High) |
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| Test 4 (Full) |
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| Test 5 (x-load) |
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| Test 6 (x-load) |
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Finishing up with the scope readings taken during the 50°C tests, it’s easy to see that the Liberty ECO did extremely well. Ripple on the +3.3v and 5v rails stayed below 12mV in tests 1-4 and only got a little out of control, hitting 30mV in Test 5 when one of the wonky cross loads caught it off-guard. Equally…no in fact MORE impressive was the +12v rails, which stayed at under 20mV ripple throughout the entire test making the Liberty ECO one of the best PSU’s I’ve tested so far in this regard.
Now let’s move on to the conclusion where I attempt to sum up the previous few pages into a series of score graphs and pretty award logos 🙂
